Annexation: Fact Vs. Fiction

Alabama Mobile Not everything you've heard is true. News Five gets to the bottom of claims for and against annexation.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Mon, September 29, 2008 - 5:28 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, October 02, 2008 - 10:59 am CST

Those for and against Mobile's controversial annexation plan are making their opinions known, but not everything you've seen and heard is true. Claims on flyers and websites circulated by both sides are raising red flags.

A website created by an anti-annexation group from Semmes claims if you become a part of the city, you'll lose your right to vote for five years. The website is referring to an Alabama law written in 1907, which was struck down by the Alabama Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court.

Another misconception being spread in the Moffett Road area is the idea that if residents are annexed, their kids will be forced to switch schools, a claim Mobile County's school superintendent says is not true. In a letter to Mayor Sam Jones, Dr. Roy Nichols says the reports are "erroneous rumours" and says the city's annexation plan has nothing to do with school zoning.

As for the city's campaign, claims of free services like garbage and trash pickup just don't pass the smell test for some opponents. In reality, annexed residents will pay higher property and sales tax. Annexed residents who own a $150,000 home, will see their property tax increase $150 a year beginning in five years. Patrons of annexed businesses will also pay an extra 2% sales tax.

A special election on the annexation referendum is Tuesday, October 7.

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JudyH Says:

Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 10:20 am

Wonder how the FREE “trash pickup” went in the Moffett Road went this past Saturday….

BamaBob Says:

Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 4:33 am

Interesting form of censorship WKRG is practicing on this topic.

Alabama Patriot Says:

Sat, Oct 04, 2008 at 10:20 pm

A ‘Change WE CAN BELIEVE IN’. You Bet! A change for the worse. If you are financially strapped due to the economy and especially the higher gas prices and all of the other price increases related to that, then you will be much worse off if you vote for this annexation. If you read WKRG’s editorials and the forum comments by JudyH, you will see that many of the taxes you pay on everything will increase dramatically if the annexation goes through. The few benefits that Sam Jones is promising are not worth the increase in monthly expenses that everyone will experience if these areas are annexed into the city of Mobile. None of the so called ‘freebies’ are free. Don’t for one minute believe this lie!! The increased taxes and cost of living (being paid by you - not Mobile) will pay for the garbage and lights. If you think about it, you pay less for more now. Expect to go into more debt if you vote for this annexation, because you will definitely have less money to live on. Vote NO!

JudyH Says:

Wed, Oct 01, 2008 at 4:08 pm

What Mobile just isn’t getting is that those of us who moved to the County want to remain in the County. If we wanted to live in the City, well, that’s where we would have moved to.
Trying to use scare tactics like “your option is to vote to be in the City of Mobile or Prichard is going to take you over” just doesn’t cut it. I actually had someone on Graham Road tell me that some Fire rescue men told him that.

I had to laugh—I thought why would Prichard want this neighborhood? There’s not a Walmart in it. But, I guess the City found a way to get to the Semmes WalMart and figured they’d better hurry and try to annex it before Prichard found a way to LOL!
Trying to force the County to become part of the City is like trying to force a square peg in a round hole—just ain’t going to work.

JudyH Says:

Wed, Oct 01, 2008 at 4:02 pm

Unbelievable! So, they are going to pickup “trash” on the Saturday before the election? Hmmm… are they trying to buy some votes or what? Just how low will the City go to get votes? Why don’t they just tell the residents ALL of the facts and let them make an informed decision?
A lady on LaCoste emailed me about the postcard she received from the City. Her reaction was “why do they want to come out here and pickup trash? Do they not have enough to do in the City?”

hfloyd Says:

Wed, Oct 01, 2008 at 10:21 am

A voter in the proposed moffett road area received a postcard from the City saying the city wants their trash and will have a special collection on Sat Oct 4 in that neighborhood. How convenient right before the election.

JudyH Says:

Wed, Oct 01, 2008 at 4:51 am

There are so many facts that the City of Mobile are not sharing on their “handouts” to these residents. The only City tax the City is telling these people that they will be paying is the increased property tax in 5 years.

They’ve “left off” the increased sales tax at grocery stores and WalMart, the increased sales tax at restaurents, the increased car tag prices due to City taxes, increased gasoline city sales tax from 2 cents per gallon to 4 cents per gallon…

And unfortunately, the taxes are only a part of the issue. Has anyone of these residents been shown the City of Mobile Municipal Ordinances? Why hasn’t the City shown their the new set of “rules and regulations” they will have to follow? That alone would make me take a double look at this!

BamaBob Says:

Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 5:35 am

What is known about all these potential new voters being brought into the city? Do they have a particular partisan persuasion? Are there any other factors that might suggest these newly gerrymandered voters might be in the tank for certain politicians?

rosepetal Says:

Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 12:19 am

did obama put that sign up “a change we can believe in”? oh and one more thing your fuel price will also go up by 2 cents a gallon.

hfloyd Says:

Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 8:49 pm

It is a shame that rumors have become the issue. Voters should focus on the map proposed by the city - the city is leaving out parts of the community who will have to pay higher sales taxes in their businesses. Some live down the street from their business, may incur higher business license fees without a vote. The only issue related to schools that I have heard some discuss is the question as to how much money will the school system lose due to the annexation.